What are the benefits of a desiccant dehumidifier? We review the EcoAir Simple MK3 to find out

QUICK MENU

1. Specifications
2. Design
3. Ease of use
4. Performance
5. Energy use
6. Noise levels
7. Portability
8. Maintenance
9. How it rates online
10. Verdict

This EcoAir DD1 Simple MK3 Dehumidifier review puts the brand's bestselling desiccant dehumidifier through its paces.

Dehumidifiers are fast becoming a must-have home appliance. Whether you’re suffering with an excess of condensation on your windows, have damp walls or mould within your home, one of the best dehumidifiers could solve many damp-related issues, as well as speeding up indoor laundry drying times.

I tested out the EcoAir DD1 Simple MK3 Dehumidifier which can extract 7.5L of moisture from the air per day, making it ideal for use in small rooms. Unlike most dehumidifiers which use a compressor to draw in warm moist air and then extract the moisture from the air via refrigerant gas and condensing coils, the EcoAir DD1 Simple MK3 is a desiccant dehumidifier.

This means it should work well in cooler ambient temperatures – such as unheated rooms in winter – and be quieter to run. Although it does mean it's more of an investment. This model also has a generous 2-litre water tank so you won’t find yourself constantly getting up to empty it, is relatively cheap to run, and its compact and lightweight design means it can easily be moved from room to room. Plus, as the name suggests, it's really simple to use.

I tested the EcoAir DD1 Simple MK3 Dehumidifier's performance in several rooms in my home; the kitchen to see how quickly it could extract steam and cooking fumes, my living room and bedroom to assess noise levels when I was trying to relax, watch TV, or sleep, and in my laundry drying area to see how its dedicated 'Laundry' mode performed in drying wet washing indoors. Read on to see how it performed compared to the best-in-class.

EcoAir DD1 Simple MK3 Dehumidifier review

Specifications

• Type: Desiccant

• Extraction rate: 7.5L/day

• Water tank capacity: 2 Litre

• Max room size recommended: 'Small' rooms

• Noise level: 34 dB

• Power: 300W - 580W

• Dimensions: H47.5 x W29 x D17.5cm

• Weight: 6kg

• Portable?: Yes

• Continuous drain option: Yes

• Laundry mode: Yes

• Operating temperature: 1-35°C

How I tested

Unboxing

The EcoAir DD1 Simple MK3 dehumidifier arrived in a sturdy cardboard box that was only a little bigger than the dehumidifier itself.

The cardboard box is recyclable, but I was a little disappointed by the amount of polystyrene in the box. There is also plastic covering the plug and a plastic bag over the unit, none of which can be recycled unfortunately.

The box has side handles which make moving it into the house a lot easier, but in fairness, this is a lightweight dehumidifier anyway, so it’s comfortable to carry with or without the handles.

Assembly

The EcoAir DD1 Simple MK3 dehumidifier arrives ready assembled, and there is very little to do in the way of set-up.

Because this is a desiccant dehumidifier, there is no compressor within the appliance, so you don't have to wait for the refrigerant to settle like you do with most dehumidifiers, meaning it can be used as soon as it’s unpacked.

Design

The EcoAir DD1 Simple MK3 dehumidifier perhaps isn't the most stylish dehumidifier I've laid eyes on, but there's nothing offensive about its design, despite it feeling a little dated compared to sleeker models.

It's also fairly compact, measuring H47.5 x W29 x D17.5cm, which means it's pretty unobtrusive in a room.

All of the EcoAir DD1 Simple MK3 models come with an off-white gloss body, but you can add a little pizzazz by choosing from three accent colours for the perspex detailing – pink, blue, or black.

Ease of use

The EcoAir DD1 Simple MK3 Dehumidifier is super simple in its design. It doesn’t have a lot of features and functions, but that shouldn’t put you off. Its lack of functions is actually what makes it so appealing as you can pretty much just plug this dehumidifier in, and away you go.

On the top of the dehumidifier are the unit's manual controls. There's an LED light that indicates whether the power is on, and a simple to use rotary dial. You just twist this dial to turn the dehumidifier on and to set the desired humidity levels between 80% and 35%. There is also a laundry mode which can be activated by turning the dial all the way around.

Next to that there is also the fan mode with two settings; quiet and turbo. You can also easily adjust what EcoAir calls '3D Louvre targets', which allow you to direct the airflow either upwards or outwards. This is a super handy feature, especially when you’re trying to dry laundry.

A second LED light on the top of the unit also lets you know when the dehumidifier's water tank is full. The front of the dehumidifier also has a small window so you can see how full the tank is, but don’t worry, this unit has an auto shut-off feature so you can leave it running without worrying about it overflowing.

Performance

I tested the EcoAir DD1 Simple MK3 dehumidifier in a couple of different areas throughout my home to get a good feel of exactly what it could do. For context, I live in a Victorian terrace, so as you can imagine, dampness and mould can be an issue, especially when it’s been raining a lot.

Overall, I was really impressed by the performance of this unit, and the simplicity of the controls meant that it was straightforward to get it to work.

There are no automatic humidity sensors in this unit, so you have to select your own humidity level using the dial. This can be difficult to guage to begin with but there’s a handy graphic on the dial so you can select from keeping it at relatively high humidity, medium humidity or low humidity.

I found that in the kitchen I needed the dehumidifier to be set quite high and on turbo mode to get rid of the condensation from cooking. The high setting also worked well in the bedroom to get rid of window condensation quickly. It did a good job when it was set on medium level but it just took a little longer. I found it to be more cost-efficient to blast the area by using the turbo setting rather than leaving it on for long periods of time on quiet mode.

I also tested the EcoAir DD1 Simple MK3 dehumidifier when drying laundry and was really impressed by its laundry-drying performance given that it extracts just 7.5 litres per day. The 3D Louvre can be adjusted so that it offers wide or spot airflow, which is really useful when positioning the unit in front of the laundry as the cover also adjusts to direct the airflow in whatever direction you want.

When on high or in laundry mode the dehumidifier does kick out some warm air. It doesn’t get as hot as other models I've tested, but depending on where and how you're using the dehumidifier this could be a pro or a con. On chilly days it warmed up the room nicely whilst drying my clothes so it was a win-win.

The EcoAir DD1 Simple MK3 Dehumidifier also has an anti-tilt feature that will automatically cut the power to the machine if it were to tilt over which is super useful if you have children or pets running around. I have two terriers at home who like to do zoomies throughout the house, so knowing that if they knocked it over it would automatically switch off was great.

It also benefits from an auto shut-off feature when the water tank is full. It doesn’t make an audible alarm noise, but the LED will light up red so you know when it’s time to empty and the appliance will automatically switch itself off so the water tank doesn't overflow.

And, at the back of the unit, there’s a built-in 'Nano Silver Filter' that’s designed to trap dust and is both anti-bacterial and anti-fungal. The filter makes this a great choice for anyone who suffers from allergies as most dehumidifiers only come with an anti-dust filter.

It was difficult to test one of the main features of this desiccant dehumidifier – the fact it can operate at lower ambient room temperatures than most compressor dehumidifiers – because outside temperatures were too mild during testing. However, the EcoAir DD1 Simple MK3 is capable of operating in temperatures as low as 1 degree Celsius, which could be a big selling point if you're trying to clear damp in an unheated home or basement during winter.

Energy use

Of course, with the cost of living and climate crisis, it's important to take into account the energy usage of any home appliance, and you'll likely be wondering how much a dehumidifier costs to run.

Running costs vary depending on the size, make and model of dehumidifier you opt for, but as a desiccant dehumidifier the EcoAir DD1 Simple MK3 does use a fair amount of electricity to operate.

EcoAir states the unit's energy consumption is 300W - 580W depending which mode you have it running in. At current energy prices of 30p per kilowatt hour of electricity, that means the dehumidifier costs between and 9p and 17p per hour to run.

For comparison, the MeacoDry Arete One 12L dehumidifier (which is a compressor dehumidifier) uses a relatively low 151 Watts of electricity, which equates to just 5p per hour.

Noise levels

EcoAir measures this unit's noise levels as 34dB, although it doesn't state if this is on high or low settings.

I found the economy mode on the EcoAir DD1 Simple MK3 was pretty quiet. It’s like a dull hum, and I didn't really notice it when I had the dehumidifier running whilst the TV was on or I was working at home.

The turbo mode however is very loud, but that’s really only needed for extremely damp rooms or drying laundry.

Portability

As well as being both compact and lightweight – the EcoAir DD1 Simple MK3 weighs just 6kg – this dehumidifier has a built-in carry handle on the top of the unit that makes moving it around the house super easy.

You just need to be mindful about where you place this dehumidifier, as the instruction manual advises there needs to be at least 40cm around the dehumidifier for the best airflow.

Maintenance

The EcoAir DD1 Simple MK3 dehumidifier can extract up to 7.5 litres of water from the air per day.

The water tank is positioned on the side of the dehumidifier and sits flush to the unit with a small handle underneath that allows it to be pulled out. Once this is pulled out, the dehumidifier will automatically switch off.

The tank has a relatively generous 2-litre capacity, and is sturdy enough that you shouldn't splash water about whilst removing it, and it has a handy flip handle so you can carry it easily to empty it. The cover also lifts off to make pouring out the water more precise.

As mentioned, an LED light on the top of the unit lets you know when the dehumidifier's water tank is full, and the front of the dehumidifier has a window so you can see how full the tank is. The EcoAir DD1 Simple MK3 dehumidifier also benefits from an auto shut-off feature once the tank is full, so you can leave it running without having to worry about it overflowing.

There is also a water outlet at the back where you can attach the drainage hose if you want it to drain continuously. I tested out the hose and found it straightforward to attach, but because this dehumidifier has such a large tank you shouldn't really need to use it unless you’re trying to dry a room out on turbo mode over a couple of days.

Another 'simple' thing about this dehumidifier is just how easy it is to look after. Giving it a wipe-over every week with a damp cloth will make sure there’s no dust build-up, and the filter can be cleaned with a brush or vacuum cleaner. Because it’s an anti-bacterial filter, it’s important not to wash it; otherwise, it will weaken the germicidal effect.

The water tank will also need cleaning out every now then, don’t use hot water, just some warm soapy water and ensure that you fully dry the tank before you replace it.

Storage

Storing this dehumidifier is no issue thanks to its compact size. Before storage though there are a few steps that are worth following. Leave it stand for 30 minutes before unplugging it and leave it to drain for at least 24 hours. Then clean the water tank and filter thoroughly drying it before putting it back in to the unit. It should also be covered before you store it so that it doesn’t gather dust and it also should be stored upright in a cool, dry place and out of direct sunlight.

How it rates online

Online reviews of the EcoAir DD1 SIMPLE MK3 Dehumidifier 7.5L are overall really positive.

Users have commented on what a great job it does in removing moisture from the air and, like me, they're fans of how well it dries laundry.

Some comments were negative about its running costs, especially when left on for prolonged periods of time, and there's no denying it is more expensive to run than many compressor dehumidifiers, so if you won't be operating it at low temperatures then a compressor dehumidifier may be more cost-effective.

There is also some negativity surrounding the noise it makes when the fans are on high, which I tend to agree with.

Verdict

The EcoAir DD1 Simple MK3 Dehumidifier is a desiccant dehumidifier that's designed for small to medium-sized spaces.

It's simple to set-up and operate with easy-to-use controls, and in my tests it did its job well, reducing humidity and making quick work of drying wet washing. It's also compact and lightweight, and with a fold-down carry handle built-in it's easy to move around the home.

Able to extract 7.5L of moisture from the air per day, the Simple MK3 also benefits from a relatively generous 2L water tank meaning you're not constantly emptying it, auto-shut off when the tank is full, plus an anti-tilt sensor to shut the machine off should it topple.

As a desiccant dehumidifier, its big plus point is that it can be operated at colder temperatures than a compressor dehumidifier. Unlike most dehumidifiers which use a compressor to draw in warm moist air and then extract the moisture from the air via refrigerant gas and condensing coils, the desiccant means there doesn't need to be ambient warmth in the room for the dehumidifier to do its job.

It was difficult to test this feature during the review process because outside temperatures remained too mild. However, the EcoAir DD1 Simple MK3 is capable of operating in temperatures as low as 1 degree Celsius, which could be a big selling point if you're trying to clear damp in an unheated home or basement during winter.

However, that does mean this dehumidifier is more of an upfront investment, and it comes with higher running costs, with its 300W - 580W energy use double that of the best-in-class MeacoDry Arete One Dehumidifier with its compressor that's powered by just 151W.

The EcoAir DD1 Simple MK3 also doesn't offer that much in terms of functionality. This is no all-singing all-dancing machine with a digital display, automatic sensors or Wi-Fi connectivity, but, that's also what I liked about it. There’s nothing complicated to get your head around, you can just plug it in and it gets to work straight away with no fuss or bother.

Overall, the main reason to invest in this dehumidifier is if you're looking for a way to remove moisture from cold or unheated rooms, as it will do the job more efficiently than most compressor dehumidifiers. However, if you don't mind the price point and running costs, this is also a great dehumidifier in its own right – compact, lightweight, easily portable, simple to use, and offering great performance and a solid laundry drying mode.